Control means for hot water systems



Dec. 1, 1959 s. w. HOLMES 2,91

CONTROL MEANS FOR HOT WATER SYSTEMS Filed April 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Liz " 50 INVENTOR u A STEEL/NH VV- HOLMES ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1959 s. w.HOLMES CONTROL MEANS-FOR HOT WATER SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR\STEZL/NG AWL WES Filed April 1. 1958 ATTORNEY United States. Patent2,915,080 CONTROL MEANS FOR nor WATER SYSTEMS Sterling W. Holmes,Brainerd, Minn. Application April 1, 1958, Serial No. 725,585 4 Claims.(Cl. 137-112) This invention relates to a control means for hot watersystems, and it particularly relates to a control means whichautomatically prevents cold water from backing up the return line to thefaucet.

It has always been a problem to keep cold water from backing up the hotwater return line when the hot water faucet has been opened.Consequently, when the faucet is next opened, the first gush of water issometimes icecold and this cold water must be allowed to run out beforethe hot water can come through. This is, of course, not only a tragicwaste of water but is annoying and even discomforting to the user,especially in the shower or bath.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a hotwater system where hot water is instantly available whenever the hotwater faucets are opened.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a. water systemhaving a control means, which is both automatic and quiet, formaintaining hot water available at the hot water faucets at all times.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water systemhaving simple and easily-installed means for keeping hot water availableat the hot water faucets at all times.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved hotwater system, of the character described, that is easily andeconomically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which ishighly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists inthe details of construction and combination of parts as will be morefully understood from the following description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a water system containing a controlmeans embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a. view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Fig. 3 but showing amodified form of construction.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein similarreference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown in Fig. l ahot water system comprising a hot water tank provided with an outletpipe 12 connected through suitable elbow connections 14 andT-connections 16 to various hot water conduits 18 which are, in turn,connected to various corresponding outlets such as sink faucets, bathtubfaucets, shower heads, etc. in the standard manner.

A hot water return'pipe 20 is connected to the upper T-coupling 16 atone end and, at its other end, it is connected, through an elbow 22, toa pipe 24 having a T-coupling 26 interposed therein for supplying hotwater to a sink faucet 28. A pipe 30 is connected to the other end ofT-coupling 26, this pipe 30 being also connected, at its opposite end,to an elbow 32. A pipe 34 is con- 2,915,080 1 *PiiaitentedlDec. 1,,1959

nected between elbow 32 and an elbow 36 to which is connected one end ofreturn line 38. I

The return line 38 is connected, through a coupling 40, to the upper endof a tubular valve housing 42; Intermediate its ends, the housing 42 isprovided with-an internally threaded nipple 44 in which is threaded theexternally-threaded connector pipe 46. The pipe 46 is connected, throughan elbow 48, to an inlet pipe 50 in the tank 10. At its lower end, thehousing 42 is connected, through a coupling 52, to acold water inletpipe 54.v The pipe 54 is connected to a source of cold water, not shown.

Within the housing 42 is provided a float valve 56, of metal or thelike, which is adapted to be displaced in one direction or the otherlongitudinally of the housing 42 by a difierential pressure of the waterbetween the upper and lower portions of the housing 42. The movement ofthis float valve 56 is kept noiseless by means of a pair of checksprings 58 and 60, one at each end of the housing. Each spring 58 and 60is mounted on a respective ring or washer, indicated at 62 and 64; thesewashers being retained in position between the upper and lower endsrespectively of the housing 42 and the corresponding pipes 38 and 54, bythe respective pipe couplings 40 and 52 (as best shown in Fig. 3).

In operation, when the outlet end of the system, above the return line38, is closed by the closing of all faucets, etc., the pressure of thehot water which is thereby cut 011 from the faucets and which returnthrough return line 38 overbalances the pressure of the cold waterentering through pipe 54. As a result, the valve 56 is moved past thenipple 44 against the lower spring 60, in the manner indicated in fullline in Fig. 3. In this position of the valve, the returning hot waterflows back through nipple 44 and its associated piping into the tank 10,while, at the same time, the valve 56 prevents inflow of cold water.When the faucets are re-opened, hot water will immediately start to flowfrom the hot water line.

When the faucets are opened and the hot water remaining in the returnline flows out, this immediately unbalances the pressure in housing 42so that cold water entering through pipe 54 forces the valve 56 upwardlyagainst spring 58, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 3. In thisposition, the flow of hot water through the return line 38 to the tank10 is closed off while, at the same time, additional cold water flowsthrough pipe 54 to the tank 10 to be heated and then sent through thesystem.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a slightly modified form of the inventionwhereby all parts of the system are substantially similar and whereinthe housing 70 is similar to housing 42 and is similarly connected to areturn pipe 72 by a coupling 74 at its upper end, and by a coupling 76to a cold water inlet pipe 78 at its lower end. It is also similarlyprovided with an intermediate opening to which is connected a nipple 80similar to nipple 44. However, it differs from the first-described formof the invention by being provided with resilient sleeves, made ofrubber or the like, as indicated at 82 and 84, in place of the springs58 and 60. The sleeves 82 and 84 also are mounted on respective washers86 and 88 retained in position between the respective ends of thehousing 70 and the corresponding connected pipes by means of therespective couplings 74 and 76. A float valve 90 of metal or the like,similar to valve 56, is provided in housing 70.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting,since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of theinvention is to be determined as claimed.

r 3 7 Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention,what is claimed is:

1. In a hot water system having a hot water tank, piping connecting saidtank to hot water outlet means, return means: for returning unused hotwater from said hot water outlet means to said tank, and inlet means forconveying cold water to said tank, a valve means interposed between saidreturn means and said inlet means for connecting only one of said inletmeans or said return means to said tank at one time, said valve meanscomprising a valve housing having fluid connection at one end with saidreturn means, a fluid connection at its opposite end with said inletmeans for conveying cold water and an intermediate fluid connection withsaid tank, and a fioat valve in said valve housing movable from aposition between one end of said housing and said intermediate fluidconnection to a position between "13,915,080 I a I A References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Setzer Oct. 6, 1908 WhiteFeb. 1, 1938

